Courage
by Paris in December
Summary: Lily decides to play matchmaker to Severus and Sirius and enlists Regulus's help. Written for the HPFC MY FIRST KISS challenge. Severus/Sirius, Regulus/Lily, implied James/Remus and Bellatrix/Lily. Includes slash. Chapters: 3/3. Waxing Moon series.
1. Matchmaker

**Author's Note:** Written for the MY FIRST KISS challenge by thenewkait on the HPFC forum.

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**Matchmaker**

They're an unlikely couple. Lily Evans: Gryffindor fifth year; prefect; top of her class in History of Magic, Transfiguration, and Charms. Regulus Black: Slytherin fourth year; Quidditch Seeker; top of his class in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Actually, 'couple' may be too generous a term.

They sit in the library, both stiff-backed and tight-lipped as they observe each other from either side of the table. Regulus, who was there first and has yet to find out why Lily is sitting with him, has his Defense textbook open in front of him, quill still poised above a piece of parchment. Lily is holding her bag in her lap, her hands clenched over the top of it.

"I'm concerned about your brother," Lily says at last.

"I'm not," says Regulus.

There is a long moment of silence as Lily tries to work out what to say next.

"He's – he's got a crush on Severus," she reveals.

Regulus blinks. He carefully sets down his quill and then leans forward almost imperceptibly, eyes narrowing. "What?"

"Sirius has a crush on Severus."

"I see." Regulus pauses. "Why are you telling me?"

Lily twists her hands around her bag, eyes not leaving Regulus's face. "Because I don't know Sirius very well," she admits. "I know _Sev_, and I think it would be good for him to… to have a relationship, I suppose. And I don't think he would be as horrified about its being Sirius as he'd like to pretend. But I don't know how to go about getting them together."

Regulus rests his elbows on the table and steeples his fingers, his expression turning pensive. He taps his fingers together a few times as Lily stills her hands and tries not to appear so nervous.

"I'll talk to Sirius," says Regulus finally. "I can't guarantee he'll listen, but I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," says Lily. She stands up and slings her bag over her shoulder. "Let me know what happens?"

One corner of Regulus's mouth twitches upward. "Matchmaker."

Lily allows herself a small smile as she nods to him and walks out of the library.


	2. Dare

**Dare**

Three days – three blessed days until OWLs start. Severus has been wavering between excitement and dismay for some time now, each emotion growing more intense as the days pass and his freedom wanes. Even the sight of Potter and Lupin snogging beside the lake no longer seems to have any impact compared to his strained nerves.

At least they're distracted. It's unlikely they'll come to bother him when they're so busy eating off each other's faces. Severus smirks faintly, hiding the expression behind his Potions textbook. He's sitting against his favorite tree with all of his books and trying to keep his mind on studying, although at the moment it isn't working very well. He just can't concentrate when it's such a nice day.

"Sev?"

Severus turns around and allows himself a rare, genuine smile when he sees Lily leaning against his tree. Her beautiful red hair almost seems to glow in the sunlight.

"I'm glad you grew your hair out," he tells her. "It doesn't shine as much when it's short."

Lily toys with the ends of her hair, fidgeting uncomfortably. "I've been thinking of cutting it again, actually."

"Well, maybe not _quite_ as short then?"

"Maybe." Lily shrugs as though to brush off the subject. "You're studying Potions? Surely you know that book back to front by now."

Severus shakes his head. "One can never be too prepared. I'd hate to get lower than an O on my OWL just because I couldn't be bothered to study properly."

"And you've been out here for how long?" Lily plucks the book out of his hands before he can protest. "Come on, Sev, you need to take a break. Let's go for a walk."

"Not to the lake." Severus nods in the direction of Lupin and Potter. "It's occupied."

Lily glances at the lake and laughs. "Not the lake, then." She offers a hand to help Severus up, and he accepts, climbing to his feet and then shrinking all his books to fit into his bag so that he can take it with him – no sense leaving his things lying about for just anyone to find.

"So what have you been doing?" Severus asks as they start to stroll in the direction of the castle. "I haven't seen you since Monday."

Lily shrugs. "Studying, a bit. Writing letters."

Severus raises an eyebrow at the plural. "Letters to whom?"

"I've struck up a correspondence with Lucius Malfoy. Don't look at me like that! I'm doing it as a favor for Narcissa." Lily sighs. "She doesn't want to marry him. I'm looking for loopholes."

"Does Narcissa know about this favor?"

"Not yet. I don't want to get her hopes up, in case I'm not successful."

Severus nods, but a frown lingers on his face. Lucius Malfoy is a dangerous character. Lily really shouldn't be fraternizing with him, especially since she's Muggleborn. "And Bellatrix? I assume you're still writing to her."

"Of course. She's fine." Lily smirks. "The Lestranges have been after her again, but she did something to her appearance – she won't tell me what – and she's confident that once they see her, they'll stop pestering her, at least for a while."

They fall into a companionable silence. As they pass by the entrance to the castle on their walk, Severus hears two familiar voices coming from that direction.

"Come on, where's that famous Gryffindor courage? Surely it can't be that hard." Regulus's words are a taunt.

"You don't get it, Reg. This isn't about _courage_, it's about – it's about self-preservation!" That's Sirius Black. Why the usually distant brothers are talking is beyond Severus, but it's clearly not a friendly discussion, so perhaps it's not so strange after all.

Lily puts out a hand to stop Severus and frowns at the open castle doors. "That doesn't sound good."

"It's Black. Who cares?" mutters Severus, but he stops anyway. Regulus is an acquaintance, and Severus knows – perhaps better than anyone – how short Sirius's temper is.

"Since when are you concerned about _self-preservation_?" Regulus is visible now in the doorway, the trademark Slytherin smirk on his face.

"Shut up, okay? Just shut up. I don't care about your stupid dare."

Regulus steps out of the doorway, and Sirius follows him out. The elder Black appears angrier than Severus expected, and just a little bit frightened. Severus can't resist.

"What's this I'm hearing?" he calls out. "Scared of a dare, Black? I never thought I'd see the day."

The color drains out of Sirius's face. "Who asked you, _Snivellus_?" he snarls.

Severus's face contorts in anger. "I rather thought you invited comment by arguing at the top of your lungs about how you couldn't do, and I quote, a 'stupid dare.'"

"I never said I _couldn't_!" Sirius snaps. "I said I don't _care_. There's a difference!"

"Sounds to me like you're scared," says Severus, now smirking slightly.

Sirius glares at him. "_Fine_. I'll do the dare," he says to Regulus. Then he stalks over to Severus and grabs him by the shoulders. "Since you're so eager for it," Sirius adds in a malevolent hiss.

Severus opens his mouth to say something else cutting, but the only thing that comes out is a squeak, because Sirius's next act is to lean forward and cover Severus's lips with his own. Severus tries to pull away, but Sirius just tightens his grip on Severus's shoulders and inserts his tongue into Severus's open mouth.

A moan escapes Severus. That tastes… far better than he expected. In fact…

Most of his faculties leave him when Sirius's fingers brush lightly against his jaw. He has just enough brainpower left to realize that he's kissing Sirius _back_, and not quite enough to remember that he ought not to be.

Sirius pulls away and stares at him, eyes wide.

"Why're you stopping?" Severus asks hazily. Some part of him tries to point out that he sounds like an idiot, but he ignores it.

"No reason," says Sirius quietly, and he captures Severus's lips again.


	3. Interference

**Author's Note:** Shoutout to RobinNicole and SweetReverie13 for the reviews! Thanks for reading.

This story is now complete. Go to my profile to find other stories in the Waxing Moon series.

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**Interference**

Lily and Regulus stand in silence as they watch the scene play out between Sirius and Severus. The second kiss lasts much longer than the first. When Severus's fingers start threading through Sirius's hair, Lily tears her eyes away at last. Her gaze lands on Regulus, who has moved to stand beside her.

"It appears you were right about them," Regulus says. His eyes are unreadable.

"Your plan was clever," Lily replies. "I'm impressed with your timing, actually. How did you manage that?"

"I've had a lot of practice winding my brother up."

"I see." Lily turns her head, seeking something to look at other than Regulus or the boys having a tongue war in front of her. She notices with amusement that Potter and Remus are among those watching the unusual event.

"I've never realized Gryffindors were so good at interference," says Regulus.

Lily slowly turns her gaze back to her companion. "Severus likes to say that I should have been Sorted into Slytherin."

"I can see why."

When did he get so uncomfortably close? Lily bites her lip as Regulus leans even closer, his breath warming her cheek.

"Do you think they'll last?" he whispers.

"I hope so. It will be good for them. What are you doing?" Lily doesn't raise her voice, but there's a sharpness to her tone that Regulus seems to recognize. He recoils.

"I was just wondering why you came to me, of all people," he says.

"Because you're Sirius's brother."

"You could have asked Narcissa. She knows him at least as well as I do."

Lily shrugs.

Regulus steps forward again and cups her face in one hand. He presses a chaste kiss to her lips.

"Something to think about," he says, and then he walks back into the castle, leaving Lily to stare after him in bewilderment.


End file.
